Difference between 64FX-53 and 64 3500+

[Rocketman9mm]

I'm thinking of gettin a new comp or at least new components for my current one. Does anyone know the difference betwee the performance of the fx-53 versus a 64 3500+? I'd just like to know because they differ in cost by about 500 bucks, use the same socket 939 and i want to know if the fx53 justifies being worth an X800XT or 6800 Ultra more than the 3500+.

Also, a question on ram. On this potential new rig I'm going to get 1024mb of Pc3200 DDR400 ram. Is there really any difference between standard and high performance ram like that from Corsair that has heat spreaders on them? do those extra costs actually mean anything in terms of system performance?

Thanks for advice, or any links pointing to answers to my questions.

 

[sharp]

Maybe you can use google and search for a benchmark

http://www6.tomshardware.com/cpu/20040601/socket_939-19.html <-- that will explain it all

and about ram: There is no bad memory anymore. When you purchase Corsair, Dane-Elec, Kingston, TwinMOS, GeiL, Crucial, Samsung etc you are always good. Mostly when you purchase a complete PC by Dell for example you probably get memory with Cas latency 3. When you have extra dollars to spend you can go for CAS2 or CAS2.5. Then you have fast memory! Mostly cas2 memory is used for o/c your system.

 

[Asus]

I would grab the 3500, especially since the prices dropped.

Timing on the memory does make a performance difference. The fisrt number matters the most.
The difference can be as big as the difference between CPU models.
A 2.8GHz P4 with cas 2 memory can beat a 3.0GHz P4 with higher timed memory depending on the application.
You are buying a higher end PC so I would say get least Cas 2.

 

[Rocketman9mm]

thx for the info. I'm now considering the 3500+

It would be a good improvement over my AMD Athlon 2400+ right? it wasn't even the top one when I got it so this upgrade should do me good. I know AMD doesn't rely purely on processing speed like Intel to guage its power.

 

[Asus]

Right on.
Just to let you know, it will be a big jump up.
Any Athlon 64 is faster than even the Athlon XP 3200+, even the Athlon 64 2800+.

You'll love any high end card you put in there too. My friend just build himself an Athlon 64 desktop with a X800pro and he is amazed and having a blast blazing through Farcry (in God Mode of course).

 

[jackal]

i have a 3500 i bought it when it was 500 dollars its dropped considerably now... so i would jump on it, but dont slack on the video card area that's mostly where it counts

ohh and asus find out what exact settings your friend is using i would like to see if mine is performing to the potential it should.... thx man

 

[riTuaL]

Right on.
Just to let you know, it will be a big jump up.
Any Athlon 64 is faster than even the Athlon XP 3200+, even the Athlon 64 2800+.

You'll love any high end card you put in there too. My friend just build himself an Athlon 64 desktop with a X800pro and he is amazed and having a blast blazing through Farcry (in God Mode of course).

Haha Asus your friend seems to be doing exactly what I'm doing except without Godmode. Same card and cpu I love it! Big jump from my P4 1.3 ghz with a GF4 Ti4200.

 

[blackeye]

I would love to have got an athlon 3800 but the price between that and the 3500 is huge. Not enough peformance for the price difference. I will just end up just overclocking my athlon 3500 to 3800 speeds. Should be really easy though.

 

[ShinRa]

Well I've got the fx-53 and i really cant say anything other than its the fastest mother ****er ive ever had the honor of using. The 3500 though appears to be the better bang for the buck as they say. Go with it, if Asus told u to, go for it.

 

[Rocketman9mm]

yeah. its a LOT cheaper than the FX-53. Plus it and the mobo is the same socket 939 so for future upgrades I'll be able to move up unless they decide to change sockets once again. that extra cash will let me get an x800xt or 6800Ultra instead of a x800pro or GT.

 

[Rocketman9mm]

When it comes to RAM, my current comp uses the same kind of ram that the A8V uses, so i was wondering if the ram has to be the exact same brand and everything. With the new mobo i want to put 1 gig of ram in it. I currently have 512mb of it in this computer, its corsair with heat spreader but I don't know the full details. will any other 512mb stick of Pc3200 DDR400 ram work with it to make 1024? I read on something somewhere that they had to be the same.

 

[blackeye]

I dont want to start a new topic so I will post it in here.
Because im overclocking my 3500 to 3800 speeds I want to still keep within a few degress as if it wasnt overclocked. So I would probably need a better HS.
The best heatsink I found is the thermalktake venus 12. Its seems like a heavy heatsink and im worried about the motherboard. But im more worried if it will work on socket 939 chips. Its designed for 754. Does anyone know if it will work on 939?

(Oh and if anyone knows of any lighter heatsinks that perform as well as the venus 12 im open to suggestions)

 

[Asus]

That thermaltake HSF is probably the best choice right now for Athlon 64 heatsink/fans.

I run my 3000+ on the stock heatsink fan at just over 40C (34C idle) which runs at 2300MHz OCed. Though I do have good case cooling and the room temp. isn't warm.